𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐃𝐄

Chapter 19

 The Jericho freighter stood like a dormant God in front of you. From where you stood, it seemed taller than any skyscraper in the city, wider than any highway, and more massive than any singular thing you have ever seen with your own optical sensors. It was impossible to look at the whole thing at once without turning your head one way or another.

The water encasing it was frozen solid, holding the ship in place like sub-zero adhesive. It groaned and roared under age and stress. The chill in the air had died down since the night of the blizzard. After leaving Hank, Connor, and Sumo, you spent a few hours riding around aimlessly on the Metro while you figured out how to decode Markus's cryptic directions. The entire night was a bad dream that you couldn't wake up from. No matter how much you bundled up, you couldn't escape the creeping chill that rested on your forearm in the exact spot where Connor tapped into your deepest and previously undiscovered memories.

Thankfully, you figured out the pattern just in time. The graffiti in the alleyways, the symbols, Jericho. It was all very, well, Markus. You'll notice that there's a pattern to everything if you only look close enough.

Not a second went by after your escape that you weren't thinking about Connor and your conversation with him before you left. If he really meant what he said and he really had the capability to feel things like desire; what did that mean for deviants? For humans? It made you ponder even further about your visit with Kamski. A war was on the horizon and that promised a different outcome for everyone involved. You were frightened for yourself and for those you loved.

A deep breath did little to steady your uneasy nerves. Sensing the presence of other androids you slowly crept further into the ship, flinching at each and every sound that echoed through the wrought iron shell that you had stumbled into..

When Markus spoke to you of promised safety all that time ago, this wasn't at all what you were imagining. In fact, you considered turning back several times. But something told you to just keep pressing forward. That and the fact that you had nowhere else to go besides Hank's house and going back there was a one-way ticket to death row. No matter how much you missed Sumo, it wasn't an option anymore.

A few minutes into your search, you were startled by a loud hammering noise echoing loudly behind you. Allowing a small gasp to escape your mouth, you cupped one hand to your lips and thrust yourself against the nearest wall. The metal framework vibrated as the noise grew closer and closer.

What were the odds that this was Markus or another android? Or what if you'd gotten the clues all wrong and a dock worker had seen you sneaking in? Or what if Connor had tracked you all the way across town and a fleet of cop cars were waiting outside to arrest you? The what-ifs all tangled up into one big paralyzing sense of fear that crawled from the base of your spine, making you shiver as it reached your fingers, causing them to twitch and clench into fists against your chest.

All of a sudden the banging stopped and a deadly quiet filled the freezing cold corridor. Wind whipped at the shattered windows and somewhere off in the distance a car alarm was sounding. You sucked down a gulp of air out of instinct before replacing your fingers over your lips.

"(Y/N)?"

You almost doubled over out of fear. Blinking your eyes open, you braved a glance to your right to see a figure standing a few feet away from you. It was hard to make out his features in the poor lighting but you could distinctly make out the blue pulsating ring at his temple. A sigh of relief washed through your lungs.

"Are you (Y/N)?" He asked again, taking one step closer to you. Oh you were probably a sight to behold. You hadn't seen a mirror in the last few hours, not that you'd ever sought one out, so your face was most likely a mess. Not to mention your hair and clothes were soaked through from being out in the snow for so long. And there you were now, shaking like a leaf in the middle of an abandoned freighter, staring up at a stranger who might as well have been Jesus Christ himself.